Pouring guard



Aug. 16, 1938. w. A. TURNER ET AL POURING GUARD Filed Sept. 26, 1936 INVENTORS WILLIAM A.TuRNER 9 ERA/E51- J. TURNER- g M MPM Patented Aug. 16, 1938 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POURING GUARD aware Application September 26, 1936, Serial No. 102,797

1 Claim.

The present invention relates generally to pouring guards and more particularly to pouring guards for the pouring of ingots in ingot molds.

Heretofore in the pouring of ingots it has been ordinary practice to employ a hot top adapted to be positioned in or adjacent to the top opening in the ingot mold in order to facilitate the pouring operation. One of the diificulties which has been encountered where a hot top of brick or refractory material has been used resides in the spalling oil of portions of the hot top, which portions fall into the liquid metal and become trapped in the ingot. By the present invention we provide for the employment of a guard which will prevent any material from the hot top from falling into the molten metal in the ingot mold. This prevents the entrapment of foreign material on either the interior or exterior of the ingots produced both during the pouring and solidifying periods.

Another difliculty which has been encountered heretofore in the pouring of ingots, and particularly where a hot top has been employed, resides in the fact that the metal passes upwardly between the mold and the hot top and sometimes laps over the top of the mold and produces hanging cracks when the ingot solidifies. These hanging cracks are quite objectionable and interfere materially with the striping of the ingot mold from the ingot. It is one of the purposes of our invention to provide a guard which is of such character as to form a seal between the mold Wall and the hot top so as to prevent the metal from forming as a fin between the mold and the hot top and to prevent the lapping over of the metal on the top of the mold.

Another dimculty which has been encountered in the pouring of ingots results from the fanshaped stream striking the sides of the mold, thereby producing a scabby or shell-like ingot surface. By the present invention, we provide a guard which is of such character as to prevent a fan-shaped stream from the ladle from striking the sides of the mold. As will be apparent, this will prevent the formation of a scabby or shelllike ingot surface, thereby materially reducing rolling mill and chipping costs. In addition, by providing a guard which prevents the metal stream from striking the sides of the mold, we thereby increase the life of the mold and decrease mold costs.

A number of other advantages in the pouring of ingots arises out of the use of a guard such as that provided by our invention. It can be used with any type of hot top which may be employed in the pouring operation and it may be used where the use of a hot top is dispensed with in the pouring operation. The guard which we provide is of such character that it will form a seal;-

guard which we provide is also of such char-- acter as to be usable with both types of hot tops, that is, those with and those without supporting means such as lugs or the like. Another distinct advantage of the guard of the type provided by our invention is that it may be used to regulate the distance the hot top extends into the ingot mold, thereby making it possible to pour ingots of various weights. Another distinct advantage of our invention resides in the fact that it will insure the centering of the ladle directly over the center of the mold and prevent ingots from being poured too close to the side walls of the mold.

In the accompanying drawing we have shown, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment of our invention. In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of the upper portion of an ingot mold, a hot top and the guard which we provide by our invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the guard shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3.

As shown in the drawing, the ingot mold 2 is provided with a hot top 3 which is supported on the guard 4 positioned in the pouring opening of the ingot mold.

The guard 4 is preferably formed of sheet metal and stamped out or otherwise formed in a single piece. The guard 4 is provided with a body portion 5 which is adapted to extend across the top opening of the mold. The portion 6 of the guard adjacent the opening I is turned upwardly in the form of a truncated cone. This forms a flanged portion which extends around the opening and prevents foreign matter from falling into the mold from the hot top. Any foreign matter spalling ofi' the hot top 3 will be collected in the space between the hot top 3 and the flanged portion 6 extending around the centrally disposed opening I. As is shown in the drawing, the body portion of the guard is adapted to support the hot top 3 between the opening 7 and the side walls of the ingot mold.

The guard is provided with horizontally disposed flanges 8 around the outer edge thereof, which flanges are adapted to rest upon the top of the ingot mold. The flanges 8 are connected with the main body portion of the guard by means of downwardly extending flanges 9 which extend between the side walls of the ingot mold and the hot top.

A cover I!) for the opening 1 may be provided so that foreign material will be prevented from falling into the ingot mold during the assembly of the parts and prior to the Commencement of the pouring operation.

It will be apparent that the flanges B and 9 and the body portion which is adapted to support the hot top will, by reason of the arrangement thereof, form a seal between the mold wall and the hot top, thus making possible continuous or so-called straight pouring. In addition, the formation of a seal between the mold wall and the hot top will prevent any of the molten metalfrom forming a fin between the mold and the hot top or lap over the top of the mold and produce hanging cracks when the liquid ingot solidifies.

It will also be apparent that a guard of this character canbe used to regulate the distance the hot top extends into the ingot mold so as to facilitate the pouring of ingots of various weights.

It will also be apparent that where a guard of the character described is employed, centralized pouring will be assured. This is of considerable advantage in view of the fact that it is undesirable to permit the metal being poured from the ladle to strike the side walls of the mold. Where the metal does strike the side walls of the mold a scabby ingot surface is formed and the life of the mold materially decreased.

While we have shown and described a preferred embodiment of our invention it will be apparent that various changes in the guard can be efiected within the scope of our invention. We do not intend to be specifically confined to the particular shape of guard shown and described 7 herein.

ity of a guard positioned in the mold top opening for supporting the hot top, said guard comprising a metal cup-shaped member having a depressed portion on which the hot top is supported in'the mold cavity, an upwardly extending continuous side which is positioned between the faces of the mold cavity and the outside faces of the hot top, a flange extending outwardly from the upper edge of the cup side and adapted to rest on the upper edge of the mold, said depressed portion of the cup-shaped member having a truncated, cone-shaped opening therein, the sides of which extend into the hot top, and a removable cover member for closing the upper end of the cone-shaped opening.

WILLIAM A. TURNER.

ERNEST J. TURNER. 

